Type lever support for typewriters and similar machines

ABSTRACT

Support for the type levers for typewriters, teletypewriters and the like, arranged to abate the noise and attenuate the recoil force of the type levers when returning from printing to rest positions. The support is in the form of a relatively thick tape made from a plastic material having shock absorbing properties but poor elastic properties. The tape is suspended in the form of a uniform arc by leaf springs, extending tangentially of the arc of the tape, and connected with the tape in laterally offset relation with respect to the body of the tape. Guide pins extending perpendicularly to the leaf springs suspend the tape from the leaf springs. The guide pins extend perpendicular to and outwardly of the springs and have weights movable along their outer ends between stops, to increase the attenuating properties of the tape. Stops spaced on opposite sides of the springs are provided to limit flexing of the springs and degrade the impact oscillation of the springs.

I United States Patent 11113,554,346

[72] Inventors Erich Kattner; 2,605,880 8/1952 Page et a1. 197/42 Sven Voelcker; Werner Westram; Manfred 3,042,176 7/1962 Brann 197/42 Neme'th, Munich, Germany 3,280,956 10/ 1966 Koenen 197/42 [21] Appl. No. 712,813 3,368,659 2/1968 Mumpower 197/42 [22] Filed Mar. 13, 1968 3,384,217 5/1968 Anderson 197/42 [45] Patented Jan 12, 1971 Prim y ExammerEdgar S. Burr [73] Asslgnee fig gs ggfigj Att0mey-Hill, Sherman, Meroni, Gross & Simpson a corporation of Germany [32] Priority Mar. 30, 1967 gz g rgg ABSTRACT: Support for the type levers for typewriters, teletypewriters and the like, arranged to abate the noise and attenuate the recoil force of the type levers when returning from [54] TYPE LEVER SUPPORT FOR TYPEWRITERS AND printing to rest positions. The support is in the form of a rela- SIMILAR M ACHINES tively thick tape made from a plastic material having shock ab- 10 Claims, 2 Drawing Figs. sorbing properties but poor elastic properties. The tape is suspended in the form of a uniform are by leaf springs, extend- [52] US. Cl 1 97/42 ing tangentially of the arc f the tape, and connected i the [51] 'f Cl 1 7/30 tape in laterally offset relation with respect to the body of the [50] Field of Search 197/42 tap; Guide pins extending perpendicularly to the l f Springs sus end the tape from the leaf springs. The guide pins extend [56] References cued pergendicular to and outwardly of the springs and have UNITED STATES PATENTS weights movable along their outer ends between stops, to in- 77l,216 9/1904 Stickney 197/42 crease the attenuating properties of the tape. Stops spaced on 886,570 5/1908 Young 197/42 opposite sides of the springs are provided to limit flexing of the 1,01 1,970 12/ 1 91 I Koerner 197/42 springs and degrade the impact oscillation of the springs.

PATENTEDJANIZIQYI 35541346 BY W -ZM/r- 'r'rvs,

1 rvgstnvnnsurnonrronmawnnnns AND SIMILAR MACHINES BACKGROUND OFITHE lNVENTlON Type leversupports have heretofore been rigidly. connected 5 i to. the :type lever frameand in orderto abate noise and attenu- 1 ate the recoil force o thetypelevers when returning to their support the type levers :whenin their rest positions;

Type. lever supports have been connected: .to the The flexible tape 3may be" made from an organic synthetic plastic material having good shock absbrbingqrialitieflpddt elasticity. One form of plastic material found lobe satisfactory asan attenuating type leversupport is a fluorelastomer kn'own by the trade name of 'VlTONl A type lever" support constructed from'such a plastic material and suspended in the;

v form of a uniform are as'sliown in'the' drawings, has'l beeii rest' -positions, have been provided with'attenuating materials placed the. type lever supports, which are engaged by and machine housing or frame by variousspring arrangements and:

have, compriseda rigid metal carrier and an'elastic rest rigidly connected to the metal carrien The carrier. has 1 been cushioned to thew-typewriter frame =orlhousing ,by-variousw cushioning supportstor. suspension means; but these supports or suspension means have beenunduly expensive and--com-'- plicated and have notbeen entirely satisfactory foraverage speedsp'f up to characters per second;

SUMMARY or THETNVENTION AND OBJECTS? According to the present invention, the foregoingdeficiencies in type lever supports have beenremedied .by utilizing a flexibletape .of elastic,'shock absorbingmaterial having poor elastic properties,.as the support for the type levers .when in their rest position and by suspending the tape in the form of auniform are, by leaf spring suspension members extending tangentially of the arc of curvature of the tape.

A principal'object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide. a simplified and improved formpf type lever support, arranged with a view toward more efi'iciently attenuating the type levers of a typewriter and thelike when returning to their rest positions.

Another object of theinvention is to irnproveupon the type lever supports heretofore in use by utilizing a flexibletape of shock absorbing material havingpoor-elastic propertiesas the type lever support and bysuspending thejtape, from positions disposed above, the rest positions of the type levers in the form of a uniform arc, by leaf springs extending tangentially. of the arc of curvature of-the tape. 7 l

A further and importantobject of the invention is to provide a type lever support, simple in design and efficiently attenuatq ing the type levers at average speeds of up to 25 characters per second, by utilizing a. shock absorbing tape ,of pooraelastic" material suspended from its endsin the form of uniformarc from positions above. the rest positions of the type'levers, and.

by enha cingthe attenuatingqualities. of the tapeby the suspension means therefor. I I

These and other objects ofthe invention will appear fromtime tov time as the following specification: proceeds and with 1 reference to the accompanying drawings; H

DESCR PTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a fragmentary; generally diagrammatic view' in front elevation of a type, lever support constructedqinz ac-- cordance with the principles of the'presentinvention;fand

FIG.- 2 is a diagrammatic shown inFlG. l.

INVENTION 7 i nssciumou OFPREFERREDEMBODIMENTOF plan view oftlte typellevensupportg In the drawings iwe have-shown afragmentpf atfiameori r housing 1.0. of a typewriter, or a--teletypewriter; or like apparatusand have shown angle brackets -l secured tozsaid hous ing inspaced relation with respectto eachtother asbymachine" screwsl..l.. 'l'.he angle brackets 1 form supportsfor. leaf 'springs' 2 extending generally tangentially of the arcof curvature era type leversupport 3 and; forming a suspension means therefor;

The typelever supportlifis shown as being relatively thick in tions.

. proportion to its width and isin the form of a flexible tape it madefrorn a shock absorbing material of poor elasticoualities: and forms asupport for-type levers 40 when :in their rest posifound to brake the type"leverssostrong'ly both in thecenterof the type lever support and at'the lateral ends of the support,

that an immediate operation of the 'typelever last operated or of an adjacent type lever canbe attained at a speed of up'to '25 characters per second.

. The dropping backenergy'of a typelever returning to its resting position at the center of the type lever support is transmined-primarily to theflexible tape 3, which'is deflected by i the dropping back of the type lever. into a resting position.

This deflection as the type lever r'et'urnsinto a resting position degrades'the kinetic energy by'the frictional forces produced between the type levers and support. Moreover, the type levers located at thecenter of the type lever support are a'tteti-.

'uated as they return to their resting positions primarily by the elasticity of the flexibletape 3, whilethe type levers located outwardly of the center of the type lever support, upon return to their positions of rest, engage the tape 3' in the direction of the curvature radius of the tape and'tend to place a twisting action on the leaf springs suspending the tape.

The bracket members 1 are spaced beneath the tape 3 and extend angularly upwardly and outwardly in the general direction of the arc of the tape and have angularly inturned portions 12 abutted by right angled feet l2a of the leaf springs 2 and position the leaf springs to extend angularlyupwardly tangentially of the arc of the tape 3, to rigidly position the tape in the area of its suspension points in the direction of the curvature-radii, elasticallyand tangentially to the arc of curvature" of the tape;

. As shown' in FIG. center than at its ends and uniformly diverges in opposite direction from its center to its ends to laterallyprojecting end portions 13, abutting the outer endsof the leaf springs 2 and forming a suspension means for the ta'pe3 in laterally spaced relation with respect tosaid'leaf springs'Guide pins 4 extend through the'lateral projection 13 perpendicular to the planes of the leaf springs 2 arid'through the leaf springs 'to se cure' the tape 3 to said leaf pinsJAs shown in FIG; 1, the guide springs f extendthrough washers 14 abutting the outer surfaces of the laterally projecting endportions l3.- Other washers l5 abut A the outer surfaces of the leaf springs The washers Hand 15 maybe suitably secured to the guidepins'4 to retain saidguide' pins irrpositionon the leaf springs and to secure the laterally projecting end portions 13 0f the tape'3st'osaid leaf spring to.

be suspended therefrom in the form or auniform arc. The

washersl4 and -l5rnay be suitably'secured to the guidepiish i in any well known manner.

The impact of the type levers40 on the tapeSL'Whenretu'rn ing totheir rest positions, tends to twist the leaf sprin s-2am f' thereby increase the relative movement of the type lever sup} portx'3 in-relation to the type levers and enhance the atteriuat'-- ing efl'ect of the type leverisupport.

Means areprovided to limit the flexingof theleaf V i I whichareshown in FIG; 1 as being stops SQdivergingjfrtimp positesidesof the leaf springs 2 adjacent-the feet l2'ath'ereo One 'stop 8 is shown astextending along the inside of tli e spring and as beingfo'rrned' from the angularlyinthrnedpo tion 12 of the bracket 1 and asturning'at generally rightangl turned portionsl2- of-the brackets-1'5"- 2, the elastic tape 3'is narrower at its The guide pins 4 extend perpendicular to the leaf springs 2 and have displaceable weights 5 slidably mounted thereon. Stops 6 and 7 limit movement of the weights 5 along the pins 4. The weights 5 in cooperation with the stops 8 serve to attenuate the impact force transmitted to the type lever support at 5 its ends and to degrade the impact oscillations of the leaf springs 2.

With the structure just described, the type levers located at The leaf springs 2 further twist about their longitudinal axes as the type levers engage the tape and further contribute to the attenuating properties of the tape as the type levers return to their resting positions. This twisting occurs principally due to the fact that the points of connection of the tape to the leaf springs are spaced laterally of the body of the tape which transmits a force to the springs to one side thereof and thereby causes a twisting movement of the springs to take place as the type levers return to their resting positions. This twisting movement in addition to the deflection of the tape and the friction created as the type levers strike the tape, further lends to the degrading of the kinetic energy of the type levers.

It should further be understood that the attenuation properties of the type lever support can be adjusted to the operating speed and mass of the type levers by varying the thickness of the flexible tape in accordance with the increased or decreased mass of the type levers.

Moreover, where there is sufiicient vertical and lateral space the supports for the ends of the tape may be rigid. In such cases the tape is supported a greater distance above the range of rest of the type levers and extended farther laterally of the supports than is shown in the present disclosure. while we have herein shown and described one form in which the invention may be embodied, it may readily be understood that various variations and modifications in the invention may be attained without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concepts thereof.

We claim:

l. A type lever support for use with a typewriter and the like having a frame and a pair of spaced support members carried by said frame, said type lever support comprising:

said self-supporting means consisting of a self-support tape composed of a synthetic organic plastic material.

2. A type lever support in accordance with claim 1 wherein the support members for the self-supporting means are in the form of leaf springs extending tangentially of the arc of said self-supporting means.

3. A type lever support in accordance with claim 2 wherein the self-supporting means is composed of a fluorelastomer.

4. A type lever support in accordance with claim 2 wherein the points of connection of the self-supporting means to the spaced support members are in portions offset from the body of said self-supporting means and are spaced above the rest areas of the type levers.

5. A type lever support in accordance with claim 4 wherein guide pins extend perpendicularly to the plane of the leaf springs and form suspension means for the self-supporting means, and wherein displaceable weights are slidably mounted on said guide pins on the outsides of the leaf spring to increase the attenuation properties of the self-supporting means and degrade the impact oscillation of the leaf springs.

6. A type lever support in accordance with claim 5 wherein stops are mounted on said guide pins to limit movement of said weights along said pins.

7. A type lever support in accordance with claim 4 wherein spring stops extend along lower end portions of said leaf spring and flare outwardly of opposite sides thereof to degrade the impact oscillations of said springs.

8. A type lever support in accordance with claim 3 wherein guide pins extend perpendicular to the planes of said leaf springs and form a means for mounting the self-supporting means thereon in offset relation with respect to the body of said self-supporting means to effect twisting of said leaf spring inwardly towards the type lever support by engagement of the type levers with the self-supporting means when returning to their resting positions, and thereby causing a deflective movement between said self-supporting means and the type levers and creating a frictional force degrading the kinetic energy of the type levers.

9. A type lever support in accordance with claim 2 wherein the self-supporting means in plan view is narrower at its center than at its ends and uniformly diverges from its center toward its ends and has widened projecting portions extending from one side of said self-supporting means at each of the ends thereof,

wherein guide pins extend through said projecting portions and leaf springs perpendicular to the planes of said leaf springs and suspend said self-supporting means from said leaf springs, and

wherein said leaf springs have lower end portions mounted on said frame and stops extending upwardly therealong from said lower end portions and diverging from said springs in opposite directions, to degrade the impact oscillation of said springs.

10. A type lever support in accordance with claim 9 wherein displaceable weights are slidably mounted on said guide pins within predetermined limits to attenuate the impact transmitted to the type lever support and to degrade the impact oscillation of the leaf springs. 

1. A type lever support for use with a typewriter and the like having a frame and a pair of spaced support members carried by said frame, said type lever support comprising: self-supporting means disposed in a curved configuration and supported adjacent each of its ends by spaced support members, and means attached to said self-supporting means at each of its ends for suspending said self-supporting means from the spaced support members in a form of a uniform arc, said means for suspending said self-supporting means providing a rigid support for said ends in a direction tangential to said uniform arc at its point of attachment to said spaced support members while enabling movement of said ends along a radial direction of the arc, said self-supporting means consisting of a self-support tape composed of a synthetic organic plastic material.
 2. A type lever support in accordance with claim 1 wherein the support members for the self-supporting means are in the form of leaf springs extending tangentially of the arc of said self-supporting means.
 3. A type lever support in accordance with claim 2 wherein the self-supporting means is composed of a fluorelastomer.
 4. A type lever support in accordance with claim 2 wherein the points of connection of the self-supporting means to the spaced support members are in portions offset from the body of said self-supporting means and are spaced above the rest areas of the type levers.
 5. A type lever support in accordance with claim 4 wherein guide pins extend perpendicularly to the plane of the leaf springs and form suspension means for the self-supporting means, and wherein displaceable weights are slidably mounted on said guide pins on the outsides of the leaf spring to increase the attenuation properties of the self-supporting means and degrade the impact oscillation of the leaf springs.
 6. A type lever support in accordance with claim 5 wherein stops are mounted on said guide pins to limit movement of said weights along said pins.
 7. A type lever support in accordance with claim 4 wherein spring stops extend along lower end portions of said leaf spring and flare outwardly of opposite sides thereof to degrade the impact oscillations of said springs.
 8. A type lever support in accordance with claim 3 wherein guide pins extend perpendicular to the planes of said leaf springs and form a means for mounting the self-supporting means thereon in offset relation with respect to the body of said self-supporting means to effect twisting of said leaf spring inwardly towards the type lever support by engagement of the type levers with the self-supporting means when returning to their resting positions, and thereby causing a deflective movement between said self-supporting means and the type levers and creating a frictional force degrading the kinetic energy of the type levers.
 9. A type lever support in accordance with claim 2 wherein the self-supporting means in plan view is narrower at its center than at its ends and uniformly diverges from its center toward its ends and has widened projecting portions extending from one side of said self-supporting means at each of the ends thereof, wherein guide pins extend through said projecting portions and leaf springs perpendicular to the planes of said leaf springs and suspend said self-supporting means from said leaf springs, and wherein said leaf springs have lower end portions mounted on said frame and stops extending upwardly therealong from said lower end portions and diverging from said springs in opposite directions, to dEgrade the impact oscillation of said springs.
 10. A type lever support in accordance with claim 9 wherein displaceable weights are slidably mounted on said guide pins within predetermined limits to attenuate the impact transmitted to the type lever support and to degrade the impact oscillation of the leaf springs. 